


The Joy of Giving

by emynn (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, Gift Giving, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-14
Updated: 2013-12-14
Packaged: 2018-01-04 14:28:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1082097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/emynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus knows Harry has been struggling to find the perfect Christmas present for him. He decides to give him a hand... and much more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Joy of Giving

**Author's Note:**

> Written for adventdrabbles 2013 Prompt 12: [Mr & Mr Christmas ornament](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/1Alisanne1/original_mr-and-mrs-ceramic-christmas-baubles_zpsd77ed4a5.jpg)

Harry groaned and shoved aside the day’s mail with disgust. After failing to find anything remotely appropriate in Diagon Alley, he had requested nearly two dozen catalogues from shops all around the world selling antique books, specialised cauldrons, and rare potions ingredients, desperate to find a Christmas present for Severus. And yet he _still_ couldn’t find anything worthy of him. All of his ideas just seemed trite and clichéd. He could just _hear_ Severus opening such a present. _”Oh, another cauldron. How… nice.”_

He shook his head. Merlin, if it was this difficult to find the perfect present when it was only their second Christmas together, it would likely be impossible when they celebrated their tenth or twentieth.

Even though there was nobody around, Harry flushed at the thought. He hardly dared to believe it, but yes, he _could_ see such a future with Severus. Hell, he could see forever.

Now if he could only get an inkling Severus felt the same way. 

Harry heard a knock at the door and, after quickly tossing out the evidence of his fruitless gift search, went to answer it.

“Severus!” he said, greeting him with a warm kiss. “Why’d you knock? You know the wards open to you.”

“Christmas is a time of secrets,” Severus said. “I wouldn’t want to risk spoiling any of yours.”

Harry laughed and took Severus’ cloak. “You’re a very strange man.”

“Quite,” Severus said. 

They settled on the couch in front of the fire, each with a glass of merlot in their hand, Severus with his arm around Harry. It was one of Harry’s favourite positions. Oh, certainly, there were others he preferred as well, positions that typically involved far fewer clothes, but there was a certain type of inimitable intimacy that came with domestic moments like these. It was warm, safe, comfortable. 

“You seem distracted,” Severus noted. “Is anything wrong?”

“No, not exactly,” Harry said, sighing. “It’s just that you’re impossible to shop for.”

Severus snorted. “You’re still struggling to find something? I told you that you needn’t worry about it.”

“I know,” Harry said. “I just want to give you something special.”

“Harry, anything you – ”

“Yes, yes, I know,” Harry said. “But it just seems extra important this year.”

Severus went still. “And why is that?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said. The back of his neck felt hot, but he knew he couldn’t hide from this conversation forever. “I just feel we have something really incredible. I mean, I always thought that we did, but this past year? It just feels more… real. Solid.”

“Permanent,” Severus said. His tone was flat, but Harry could see that his eyes were blazing as intently as he had ever seen them.

“Yeah,” Harry said. He squeezed Severus’ hand. “I don’t wake up in the morning anymore and fear it’s all a dream that’s about to slip through my fingertips. I just want something to commemorate that.”

“Indeed.” Severus swallowed the last of his wine and set his glass aside. “And that ‘s why I decided to help you.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” Severus said, standing. He walked over to where his cloak was hanging and pulled a box wrapped in green paper with silver ribbon out of one of the pockets. “I decided to purchase my own Christmas present this year.”

Harry blinked. “You really thought I’d fuck it up that badly?”

“Not at all,” Severus said quickly. “I only saw it and thought of you, but realised that should I give it to you as your own present, it would appear rather selfish, as I am the one who’d come out far ahead in this deal.”

Harry frowned. “You really make no sense.”

“Just open the blasted thing,” Severus said impatiently. His shoulders were drawn back, his jaw tense. Harry wanted to reach out to embrace him, to see his expression soften, but he couldn’t shake the feeling Severus would literally snap in two if he so much as touched him.

“Okay then,’ Harry said. “But I’m still going to get you something.”

“Yes, yes, just get on with it,” Severus said. 

“Right,” Harry said, and, fearing for Severus’ sanity, quickly tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box.

Inside was a Christmas ornament, a white ball with the words “Mr & Mr” printed in neat black letters on the front. Harry lifted it by the attached red ribbon to examine it more closely.

“It’s lovely,” Harry said. “I’ll hang it right in the front of the tree.”

“But it doesn’t make much sense as the situation stands, does it?” Severus asked. “For as it is, it’s still technically only your Christmas tree, belonging to only one ‘mister,’ yet the ornament specifically demands it belong to two.”

“What are you saying?” Harry asked, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. “Do you want to share –”

“That is up to you, Harry. It is, after all, your gift to me.” He knelt down before Harry, taking his hands in his. “The only thing I could ask of you this Christmas is a shared future. Whether that be sharing a house, or marriage, or even simply continuing what we have –”

“All of that,” Harry said immediately. “All that, and more. Anything you want.”

Severus cupped Harry’s face in his hands and kissed him deeply. “Thank you,” he said when they parted, his voice husky.

“Thank _you,_ ” Harry said, pulling Severus back up to the couch. “You mean it, really? You’d want to marry me?”

“I would marry you tomorrow,” Severus said. “I only thought perhaps you’d want more time. If you weren’t sure –”

“I’m very sure,” Harry said. “Very.”

Severus smiled and wrapped a strong arm around Harry, who curled up against his chest. “That’s all I could have asked for.”

“I still think it’s cheating though,” Harry said. “After that, I _really_ need to find you something special. How can I call that your Christmas present when I feel like it’s my birthday and Christmas and some other incredible holiday that hasn’t even been created yet all rolled into one?”

Severus squeezed Harry’s hand and kissed him once more. “That, my Harry, is why they call it the joy of giving.”


End file.
